Mic preamp...Do I need it with my Audio Interface?

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A.lebowski

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Alright, a little back story real quick. I've got about a $2,500 budget to set up a home recording studio. I've picked out all the gear that I am wanting to purchase but I came acorss an issue. Do I need to purchase a mic pre amp along with my Audio Interface? The interface I am purchasing is a TASCAM US-1800 USB 2.0 AUDIO/MIDI Interfcae. I will have a MXL V250 Mic, MXL 991 Mic, MXL 993 Mic and two MXL 990 Mics. Also, I will have Pro Co StageMASTER mic cables'. Is it necessary to purchase the mic pre amp or will the interface and mics work just by themselves?
It may be a simple question but I'm new to this whole recording thing and want to make sure I get it right. Thanks in advance.
 
A lot of audio interfaces come with decent enough preamps already built in. If you're just starting out, I'd consider buying one which professes to have decent enough pre's in it's makeup. Otherwise, you're just going to end up spending loads of money on extra stuff when you could have it in one box.

I bought one of these recently on the basis that it has 8 inputs (which can be extended to 16 if you buy the Octopre) and each of these inputs has award-winning preamps which are super clean.

Also, do you need as many inputs as the TASCAM offers? Have you considered that you could get a lot better quality interface & preamp if you downsized the amount of inputs you need. I'm only making this suggestion as you said you're new to the recording game. I spent two very happy years with an Apogee Duet (2 in, 2 out) before I moved onto more inputs.
 
Use microphones and mic pre the same way painters use brushes and colors. Microphone preamps add distinct characteristics that help you get the most from your recordings. The combination of micpre's and mics will all you to make better artistic decisions in the studio because each component sounds different. For example, the standard interface mic preamps that are built into interfaces do very little to help engineers control vocal recordings, only allowing for a specific sound or tone. Even if your and artist recording yourself at home, the preamp you choose to use make decide if your recording sounds warm or cold; thick or thin.

To answer your question, preamps are great tools to have as a part of your DAW.
 
yes if you're only recording solo performances go with a 2/2 in/outputs

you'll usually get a higher quality out of 2/2 in/outputs audio/MIDI interface with at the same price that you would pay for a audio/MIDI interface with 8/8 in/outputs
as skip the MIDI and just look for a audio interface as most keyboards,controllers can be hooked up through USB
I would look at this as well
Sound Devices USBPre 2 | Sweetwater.com
Focusrite Forte | Sweetwater.com
now the TASCAM US-1800 USB is great if you plan on setting up a little recording studio
you can record a small band or group of singers
it's a full fledge system that comes with a DAW (digital audio workstation) which is the Cubase LE software which get you into one of the best DAW companies around I'm true Cubase fan
the Tascam/Steinberg-Cubase(owned by Yamaha) is great partnership team when it comes to audio/MIDI interfaces rock solid I still have my Tascam audio/MIDI controller interface from 2002
and still works

so if you out to to do that great buy!!!

-Coach Antonio
 
If your trying to buy everything you need with 2500 i would probably go with a Duet or the baby RME interface. best bang for the buck and very important piece of the studio.
 
A.lebowski said:
Alright, a little back story real quick. I've got about a $2,500 budget to set up a home recording studio. I've picked out all the gear that I am wanting to purchase but I came acorss an issue. Do I need to purchase a mic pre amp along with my Audio Interface? The interface I am purchasing is a TASCAM US-1800 USB 2.0 AUDIO/MIDI Interfcae. I will have a MXL V250 Mic, MXL 991 Mic, MXL 993 Mic and two MXL 990 Mics. Also, I will have Pro Co StageMASTER mic cables'. Is it necessary to purchase the mic pre amp or will the interface and mics work just by themselves?
It may be a simple question but I'm new to this whole recording thing and want to make sure I get it right. Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...

without understanding what you want to record advising you beyond what you have decided to buy right now is a little difficult.

That said, my gut says that getting a preamp may be necessary but which one depends on the sources that you want to record. The tascam unit is very good and offers good preamps that are not able to be adjusted beyond input gain control.
 
Get the presonus studio channel and run it through your line in/out (not the microphe jack) input on your tascam.

Its cheap you can get one for about $250-300 off of sweetwater or zsounds. It has better pres and gives you more options as far as how to mold your vocals before they're converted to digital in your DAW. The compressor is okay but the eq is great. You can achieve some nice open glassy vocals with this thing.

You can replace the tube, it isn't that great but not replacing it won't hinder you in achieving good recordings.

I have the studio channel running through my scarlet 8i8. The scarlet pres are nice and open just to subtle and thin imo. And their interfaces preamps are exactly the same from the 2i2 all the way up to the 18i6..lol O.o

The studio channel tube amp is warmer, punchier and grittier then the pres on most all $150-450 range interfaces.

Now if you want a really GREAT mid grade interface you should get the Motu MK3. It can hang with the big dogs given its price. And there would be no need for a preamp unless you plan on upgrading your studio in the future with a nice rack setup.
 
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